Galway County Council has confirmed that the transformation of Tuam Station House into an enterprise hub will soon move to the procurement stage, after securing €6,662,440 in funding from the Northern and Western Regional Assembly (NWRA) through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).
During a meeting in late May, elected members of the Tuam Municipal District (MD) gave their unanimous backing to the project.
Plans for the site include a new enterprise hub with individual suites, a podcast studio, a café, and a multi-use space for community events and education. The building, located on the former train station lands on Sean Purcell Road, will be the first development as part of the wider Station Quarter Masterplan.
Galway County Council will now complete a detailed design for the project, with procurement of a contractor to follow in early summer 2026.
Welcoming the funding, Cathaoirleach of Galway County Council, Cllr. David Collins said the investment would play a key role in regenerating towns and villages. He continued, “Along with funding for Tuam Town Hall, over €10 million will now be invested in Tuam Town Centre projects, helping to keep our town centres vibrant and attractive. The Tuam Regeneration Masterplan is now bearing fruit, and long may it continue.”
Cllr. Karey McHugh Farag, Cathaoirleach of Tuam MD and a native of Tuam, added, “There is widespread local support for this project, which will be a real boost for our town. I commend Galway County Council for involving elected members and the community in shaping the overall design. Once complete, the enterprise hub will create new jobs, vibrant community spaces, and opportunities that will benefit Tuam for years to come.”
Liam Conneally, Chief Executive of Galway County Council, stated, “I warmly welcome this investment, which will allow the project to proceed to construction. This is a major vote of confidence in Tuam on a historic site in need of regeneration. Reopening an iconic heritage building for a mix of enterprise and community uses will create employment and new social spaces for local groups. I thank our elected members for their support and look forward to delivering this project for the people of Tuam.”
Liam Hanrahan, Director of Services for Planning and Economic Development, commented, “I want to acknowledge our in-house architectural team for bringing the project this far. This historic building offers a unique opportunity to create a sustainable, contemporary urban space in Tuam’s town centre, aligned with New European Bauhaus principles. We are grateful for the support of the wider community, including Irish Rail, Action Tuam, and Galway Rural Development.”
Funded through the ERDF via the NWRA, Tuam Station House is being developed under the THRIVE Town Centre First Heritage Revival Scheme, which supports the regeneration of town centres by transforming vacant, under-utilised, or derelict publicly owned heritage buildings through renovation, renewal, and adaptive reuse.
